Vehicle lighting fixture



Aug. 15, 1933. D| CARLO 1,922,617

VEHICLE LIGHTING FIXTURE Filed Nov.- 5, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet l WITNESS: INVENTOR DUYIEIJCUDI E ar'lm 15, 1933- D. DI CARLO VEHICLE LIGHTING FIXTURE Filed Nov. 3; 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR I] mnat c1111 1: 514m 1 TN E35 c or Patented Aug. 15, 19nd VEHICLE LEGHTING FIXTURE Donate Di Carlo, Philadelphia, Pa.

Application November 3, 1932. Serial 640,919

, 2 Claims.

This invention relates to vehicle lighting fixtures, and has for an object to provide a structure displaying in daylight white characters upon a colored background, and at night illuminating said numbers with a red ight to serve the double capacity of displaying the license number, and as a tail light.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved means for displaying a contemplated turn in either direction.

A further object of the invention to provide in a lighting chamber a housing so constructed in an improved manner as to eliminate shadows.

A further object of the invention is to provide a lighting chamber having a member therein adapted to provide a colored light, as for instance, red, with a removable cover thereover, having a plate with cut-out characters with a translucent 20 sheet underlying said plate, displaying through said cut-out characters the natural color of the plate, which said color is changed when the inner member is illuminated.

A further object of the invention is to provide the mechanical and structural details for carrying out the aforesaid objects.

The invention, therefore, comprises a housing having therein a member in the form of a chamber, composed of colored transparent sheets with an overlying sheet of translucent material, overlying which is a plate having cut-out characters displaying the trans ucent sheet through said cut-out characters, with one or more auxiliary housings displaying characters indicating turns in either direction when illuminated, and to construct said housings in such manner that the shank of the illuminating element is wholly received within the housing structure, with only the illuminating part within the chamber to eliminate shadows.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a view of one form of the improved device shown in elevation, with part of the overlying sheets broken away,

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view through the housing, taken on line 2-2oi' Figure 1,

Figure 3 is an enlarged detailed view of the structure for holding the inner transparent chamber,

Figure i is a view partly in elevation and partly broken away, showing one type of the direction indicating structure,

Figure 5 is a view partly in elevation and partly broken away, showing another type of the direction indicating structure, and I Figure 6 is a view partly in elevation and partly broken away, of either of the structures.

Like characters oi reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

The improved vehicle lighting fixture comprises a housing, preferably having an arcuate back 10 with end members 11 closing the ends of said back and having theiredges coinciding with the arcuature of the member 10.

The edges of the back 10 are outwardly turned to form flanges 12 forming guideways for the overlying structure.

Over-lying this housing is a plate 13 having characters it cut out, such characters in general representing the numbers of the license accorded to the vehicle.

Other characters, as 15, will indicate the jurisdiction issuing the license, and the year of the license.

Of course, all of these characters, both as to their relative utility and their exact formation, will be varied as circumstances may require.

Underlying this plate, which is opaque, is a translucent sheet 16 held by means of guides 17 secured to the plate 13. At present it is contemplated that this translucent sheet 16 shall be of glass or like material, colored white or some other light color contrasting with the color of the plate 13, which will be preferably dark, although it is to be understood that the relative colors may be varied.

The translucent sheet 16 and the opaque plate 13 are combined as a unitary structure, and are provided with the down-turned flange 18 for limiting the longitudinal sliding movement of the unitary structure upon the flanges 12.

Within the housing and at opposite ends, plate holders are provided. These will preferably comprise a strip 19 with other strips 20 and 21 preferably integral therewith and perpendicular thereto.

The strip 19 is provided with a bent section 22 and an overhanging flange 23, while the strips 20 and 21 are provided with perpendicular flanges 24 and 25, respectively, by which the device is secured to the ends 11 of the housing.

Angle strips 26 and 2'7 are provided with perforations 28 which register with like perforations in strips 24 and 25, and rivets 29 or their equivalents, are employed for securing the structure, one in each end of the housing. At Figure 3 this structure is shown in enlarged perspective detail.

The arrangement ofthe supporting structure is such that a strip of colored transparent ma- 21 and the angle strip 19, as shown more particularly at Figure 2. A strip or plate of transparent material 31 may now be inserted between the flange 23 and the strip 19, and over the top of the strip 30.

A strip 32 may now be siidably inserted between the strip 20 and the angle 27 to hold the strip 31 in position so that the strips are thereby locked, forming an elongated housing within which are mounted one or more lighting ele-' ments 33.

Preferably, this casing providing the strips 30, 31 and 32 will be of red glass so that when the lighting elements 33 are energized, a red light will be provided within the housing, which will be transmitted through the white translucent sheet 16 and will disclose red characters to the observer. .This will, therefore, operate during daylight hours to display the characters in white, while at night, when illuminated, the characters will be displayed in red to function as a tail light.

Of course, it will be understood that the colors given are merely explanatory, and that they will be varied in accordance with law or custom, as

necessary.

Secured to the structure just described will be one or more units for indicating the proposed turn of the vehicle. As shown at Figure 1, there are two of these elements. They comprise each a housing 34, preferably elliptical, in form having an opaque plate 35 perforated by a character 36. The character here shown is intended to represent an arrow, each one pointing in opposite directions, and when either is illuminated, will thereby indicate the direction of turn.

To protect the housing and opaque sheet, a

transparent or translucent sheet 3'7 is provided.

This may be of any color, in accordance with custom or law, and is illuminated in the instance shown, by an illuminating element 38, seen more particularly at Figure 4.

At Figure 5 a single housing is shown having chambers 39 and 49 covered by a single opaque sheet 41, and similarly covered upon the exterior by a colored transparent or translucent plate 42.

Within this housing are also illuminating elements 43.

At Figure 6 either of the types shown at Figures 4 or 5 is indicated in end elevation. Each of these has a wall 44 and a false bottom 45 spaced apart, with the socket 46 so located as to be substantially flush with the false bottom 45 so that the illuminating element, numbered 43 in this instance, discloses only the bulb without the false bottom 45, whereby no shadows are cast by the base 47 of such illuminating element.

To support the device upon a vehicle, a bracket 48 is provided, and such braces 49 as may be required to properly hold the direction indicating unit or units.

No circuits for the illuminating elements have been shown, as such circuits and the control thereof are well understood in the art.

Of course, the vehicle lighting fixture herein illustrated may be modified and changed in various ways without departing from the invention herein set forth and hereinafter claimed.

I clai.m:

1. A vehicle lighting fixture comprising a housing having a plurality of plane colored transparent walls forming a chamber mounted therein, an illuminating element within the colored chamber, guide flanges formed upon the housing, and a unitary structure slidably positioned upon the flanges, said unitary structure comprising a translucent sheet, and an opaque sheet having characters out therefrom disclosing the translucent sheet t erethrough and maintaining both of said last mentioned sheets parallel with one wall of the chamber.

' 2. In a vehicle lighting fixture embodying a housing having an arcuate end wall, a supporting structure secured to said wall comprising strips disposed perpendicularly thereof, one of said strips being bent to form an overhanging flange and angle strips spaced from some of said strips, said angle strips and overhanging flange forming a plurality of guideways for transparent perpendicularly arranged sheets. 

